


Jack Frost, Super...hero?

by Era_Penn



Category: Guardians of Childhood & Related Fandoms, Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Action, Angst, Epic, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Jack Feels, MiM is a jerk, Multi, Team as Family, attempted humor, but not evil, more to be added - Freeform, slow build relationship, superhero au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-05 19:57:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 6,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Era_Penn/pseuds/Era_Penn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack Frost was one of the youngest, most successful supervillains of the age, but a while back he covered the city of Burgess in snow and vanished, his last hurrah.</p>
<p>But when the shadows come looking for him, the Sandman, handsome and mysterious member of the Guardians, Jack's superhero nemeses, takes the now seventeen-year old back to the Pole, their leader's home.</p>
<p>To make things more complicated, the Sandman is a regular the cafe where Jack works in his civilian identity. Which is also a fake identity.</p>
<p>And to top it all off, Jack is getting attached to the hero. Can't a retired villain catch a break?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Frost in the City](https://archiveofourown.org/works/770141) by [Lady_Douji](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Douji/pseuds/Lady_Douji). 



> So, this is quickly turning into an epic. I've never written a fic this long, so bear with me.

_E. Aster Bunnymund, better known by the superhero handle Bunny, blinked at their benefactor. Not only was this the first time Mannheim I. Moon had so much as mentioned he had a kid, but it was also surprising that he wanted Bunny to train the apparently superpowered kid. Most parents tried to keep their children out of the business until they were at least eighteen. Then again, Moon was no ordinary parent; he was the head of the largest superhero agency of their age. The Guardians, a superhero group formed from four rather unusual heroes, were under his direct command._

_"Why me?" Bunny demanded. "Sandman or Tooth -"_

_"Would not be likely to be of any use, as his abilities are elemental in nature." Moon interrupted. Bullshit excuse - Tooth and Bunny's abilities were pretty similar, and Sandman's magic was probably more similar to elemental magic. "Now, I have things to attend to. Behave, Jeremiah Elijah Moon."_

_The brunette eleven-year-old rolled his eyes, turning to the superhero as soon as his dad was out the door. "I have perfect control, he just doesn't like to admit I have an ability he doesn't. You submit reports on my control for a few weeks, make it look good, and I'll use the time to get out and have some fun - probably in the arcade, maybe a visit to the docks, and you have the time for whatever it is you superheroes do on your days off. Fair?"_

_"Sounds good, Moon." What, Aster wasn't going to pass up free time. "Don't get caught or we're both roasted, yeh?"_

_"Sure, Kangaroo." He headed straight out the door, smirking. He had no plans to visit the arcade, but the docks... Well, he would be the could get the machine parts he needed there._

_And if Aster never saw the kid again and if Moon never requested information about his own son, well, it was weird, but hey. None of his business, and it wasn't like the kid would ever be in danger with a dad like that._


	2. Three Years Later...

**Three years later: September-November 2011**

"FROST!" North bellowed, throwing himself at the snickering young supervillain. One of the most successful evil powereds out there - or so they assumed, considering how high his spirits were, though no one really knew what his goal was.

"Ooh, did I manage to rile you, Santa?" Jack Frost taunted as a massive killer snowman moved to guard him, laughing as he saw Bunny and Tooth trying to dig their way out of the massive remains of what the kid called a snowgre. The soft shifting sound of magic behind him had the kid jumping into the air on the wind to dodge a blast of sleeping spell. "Nice shot, Sandman," he smirked. "You almost got me!" The golden-masked man grinned and saluted as the sand he enchanted and manipulated, his favorite form of magic, followed the kid through the air.

Jack Frost had risen to the top of the villain list quickly, despite being the youngest recorded on record. No one knew what he wanted or what his goals were, which made him dangerous, as his only motivation _seemed_ to be boredom. He shouldn't have been hard to find; there weren't many with pure white hair and skin and crystal blue eyes out there, but he hadn't been located yet. The kid wore a dark blue hooded jacket that swirled around his bare feet, buttoned tight to the waist with silver clasps before flaring open to show off torn black skinny jeans. Frost covered everything he wore, as well as the shepherd's crook he carried. He had control over the winter elements themselves, _including_ the wind.

"Jack Frost, I SWEAR, when I get out of this -" Bunny fumed.

"Aw, it's okay, Kangaroo. I've got what I came for. I'm just having a bit of fun." He held up one of the most powerful lights that rested in the science building. The Guardians blinked; they hadn't expected that. 

"Afraid of the dark, Frost?" North asked.

"Well, no. But I do get nervous when the things in the shadows start trying to talk to me." The smirk fell for a second. "But whatever," he brightened. "SNOW DAY!" And with that he was gone.

"Why the hell is that insult so familiar?" Bunny grumbled, finally freeing himself from the snow.

"D-don't care," Tooth chattered, feathers shaking free ice crystals and bright, multicolored mask dripping. "Too cold."

"More importantly," North interrupted, "what did boy mean, shadows try to speak to him?"

They all looked at each other. "Pitch Black?" Bunny said, hesitant. The notorious supervillain had vanished years before, after a brutal battle with the Guardians. Using similar abilities to Sandy's, Black had threatened to overwhelm the great heroes, almost claiming victory. Unlike Frost, their current nemesis, who really wasn't up to much more than general mischief, Black had caused many injuries and deaths in his career. His Nightmares, constructs made from magic and sand, had been devestating, and the only way they had reliably beaten them was through similar dream constructs made by their teammate. However, the constructs were exhausting for the Sandman. If Pitch was back...

Well. It was a good thing the Guardians had stuck together, despite all the difficulties.


	3. Meet the Guardians

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It should pick up after this, the story starts a little slow.

Back at base, Bunny looked around, examining his companions. Tooth, or Anna Sinar, had gossamer wings sharp enough to cut through steel in her were-form (single-shape shifters were called werebeasts) and wielded a terrifying array of daggers and knives mid to close range. Her mask was made of bright feathers in green and pink, centered around a gold one taller than the others, matching the green and pink feathers of her were-form. She was small, but feisty, and she hated the cold, shivering as she tried to shake melting snow from her feathers.

Sandman (no one knew his secret identity), on the other hand, had snagged a ball of snow and was taking aim at North's back, smirk wide on his lips. He wore a pair of shades tinted gold; his eyes were invisible behind them, and his hair stretched high, spikes that reminded Bunny of a star. He wore a skintight outfit that wrapped around him in varying shades of gold, a swirling symbol on his chest in white, matching his gloves and boots. Even his skin was gold. Though Sandy preferred to use whips and other dreamsand creations through his magic to fight at mid- or long-range (he was usually their eyes in the sky), he was a master of martial arts. He was also a closet prankster. He and Frost got along astoundingly well for arch nemeses, and that was probably why; when they'd first encountered Frost at the beginning of 2010, Sandman and the villain had sat and shouted (or, well, Sandy signed) increasingly ridiculous jokes at each other for over an hour.

Nicholas Ursted, North, the sort-of-leader of the Guardians, didn't bother to hide his identity; no one knew anything about him anyway. He had tattoos, the most prominent being the naughty and nice on either arm, and he always word a thick red coat, big black boots, and fur hat, sabers nestled at his side. The man didn't technically have superpowers, but was strong enough they considered him to have super-strength, and he was a brilliant builder, technician, and close-range fighter. He was also a very happy man with a bit of a temper, though it was usually easily abated.

And Bunny (Aster) looked at himself. He was an Aussie, tough and definitely showing off his time spent at the gym. He wore a leather vest and black bulletproof fabric, and had the tattoo of a native tribe he had gotten honored by on both shoulders and between his shoulder blades on his back. He could hear anything, and had sharp eyes and a sharper nose. Shaggy dark grey hair (or fur) made him look older than he was, and black cargo pants and hiking boots definitely weren't what was expected from a superhero costume, which is what he wore when not furry. He could fight at any range, a master of several forms of martial arts with the strength to make them deadly, and a skill with boomerangs and knives that made him even deadlier. He didn't wear a mask either, didn't need to. Aster was a shape-shifter. He didn't use the full ability much, not even his favorite form, as it was exhausting, but on a small scale he altered his face enough that he wouldn't be recognized outside of work.

All of the Guardians had enhanced healing rates and extended lifespans due to an experiment Pitch had run on them in captivity once. It had backfired for the villain. Some kid had managed to steal the last sample, and no one had ever replicated the effects. With a groan, Bunny stripped and climbed in to soak in warm water, ignoring the chaos as Sandy's snowball found it's mark. He wasn't much a fan of the cold either, and with the news of Pitch...

No. They'd worry about Pitch returning if and when it happened.


	4. Jack

Jack sighed as he slipped in through his window. He didn't have to, of course; the boy didn't have parents to sneak past or anything. He just preferred that his landlady not know where he was always going. Besides, as far as the neighbors knew, he had very caring parents, if a bit busy, and they often had to travel but wanted their darling boy to have a normal, stable school life, so declared him an independent child.

He pulled on the brown, shaggy wig to cover spiky white hair and leaned his staff next to the broom after switching on the light. He put in brown contacts, broke off the mask and replaced it with a pair of fancy glasses, and changed into a red Abercrombie hoodie, pulling on black converse. His own father didn't recognize him as Jack Frost, and neither would anyone else.

Tucking his phone and keys in a pocket, he headed out to work. He had a part time at two different cafés in the area, _The Writer's Nook_ and _Delilah and Darla's_. He worked about thirty hours a week at both, during the days at the Nook and nights at DDs, as it was called. Neither owner questioned how such a young person was able to keep his schedule, but if they ever did, he was prepared with all sorts of paperwork from his online classes for them both. He even did work for his school at work sometimes, if it was slow.

He checked in to DDs a few minutes early.

"Ah, Jem!" The owner greeted. "You have good timing. Can you throw a few dozen of the specialty sandwiches together? A group called ahead to warn us that they would be here."

"On it, Richie," Jack replied. Jem - his initials. All of his fake paperwork was filed under the name Jeremiah Johnson, call him Jem. Practiced and efficient, it only took him a half hour to throw together a dozen of the day's specialties. "Do they wan'em toasted?"

"No idea, toast like half."

Jack nodded and kept making sandwiches.

"Oi, did you spike my lemonade with Dew again?" Richie asked, amused.

Jack out on his best innocent face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course not." Richie replied, amused, as the door opened.

"Hey, mate, we called ahead?"

It was a good thing Jack was used to taking things in stride, because he certainly had a mini heart attack at that voice, and the four people attatched to it. The Guardians themselves. What the hell, this was the most random, out of the way place for them to go to.

"Ah yes. Jem, how are those sandwiches coming?"

"I've got ten toasted and ten not."

"Toast the rest, mate. And keep the lemonade and water comin'."

"Of course. Meal's on us, eh Jem?" Richie grinned, and Jack nodded, beaming. 

"If you say so, boss man." He placed a basket of sandwiches on the counter. "Here you go. The next batch of ten will be ready in a few minutes."

"Thank you!" Tooth said, fluttering her wings a bit. "We know we need a lot of food all at once, sorry."

Richie waved a hand as Jack concentrated on NOT blurting out everything he knew in a burst of idiocy. "Not a problem, friends!" He grinned. "Hungry work, I'd imagine." Sandman nodded and displayed a cup over his head. "And thirsty, too!" Richie laughed again. "Jem and I will set you right. Free hot chocolate for the lady," he said. "You are still looking a little frosty, and Jem makes the best!" Sandman raised a hand, bouncing a little. Jack grinned, preening under the praise as he threw together two hot chocolates.

"Aren't yeh a little young to be workin'?" Bunny asked.

Jack shrugged. "My dad won't pay my phone bill for me, and online school makes for a flexible schedule." He said with a grin. "And there isn't much else to do."

"Go on, have a seat!" Richie beamed. "We will bring you anything you need, all free."

At least his nemeses were good customers, Jack thought wryly.

* * *

"Does he seem familiar to you?" Bunny asked, nodding at the boy at the counter, sleeves rolled up and hard at work.

Sandman shrugged, holding up his fingers to indicate a little.

"No, I do not think so."

"Not at all, he seems like a sweetheart."

"Maybe it's my imagination." Bunny decided, unwrapping a sandwich and biting in. They didn't say much more; DDs was the best.

They did look up from the constantly coming food and drink when the door opened; in uniform, they were always ready for a fight.

"Jem, Jem!" A little girl yelled happily, charging over as her mother approached Richie. "Daddy said you were working tonight!"

Jem gasped and placed a hand on his heart. "To be visited by such a lovely lady!" He swooned. "Darla, sunshine, you have conquered this lowly sandwich maker!" Darla giggled. And her parents grinned at her.

"Jemmeniah, dear, could you watch Darla for a minute?"

"Of course, miss Delilah." Jem smiled. "We'll have some hot cocoa and you can tell me all the latest," he said to Darla.

"Well, I got out of school early!" Darla said excitedly. "Jack Frost made it snow! Marie and I made a snowman, but David ruined it so we got him with snowballs real good, like you showed me, no ice or rocks."

"Good job! It's only fun if no one gets hurt." Jem said, giving her a hot chocolate. "Careful, it's hot. What happened to that other boy? John or Jacob or..."

"Jacob is a meanie-face." Darla pouted. "He smashed Lucy, look." She pulled a little doll, clearly smushed, out of her bag. 

"Sandy, stop staring." Tooth hissed, noticing the hero was distracted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn't clear, Jem and Jack are the same person. Darla is a name meaning "dear" or "Loved one"


	5. Pinky-swear

"Well, we can fix her right up," Jack said. "She just needs a little TLC." Setting the last batch of sandwiches in the toaster oven, he returned to the little girl, hmm'ing and pulling a needle and thread from his pocket. In just a few minutes the little doll's crooked eye was fixed and her dress straightened.

"Thanks Jem!" Darla hugged him tight. "She's like new now!"

Jack laughed and bowed, straightening as the sandwiches dinged. "Well, Princess, couldn't leave your Lucy all a mess." He pulled the hot tray out, carefully tipping the sandwiches into a basket before sliding the tray back in. "Hey, Darla, see that table in the corner?"

Darla turned and her eyes widened. "Are those the Guardians?" She asked, whispering.

"Yep. And I'm so overcome by your loveliness that I think I need help carrying this basket of sandwiches over." Darla gasped in delight, carefully taking a hold on the basket as Jack lifted it to make his way over to the heroes.

"Well, look at this little warrior!" North boomed, beaming at the little girl.

"M' not a warrior, I'm a princess." She said, wide-eyed.

"Ah, but of course!" North gave a sweeping bow. "Forgive me, Princess Darla, but you are so strong and brave I mistook you!" The little girl giggled, emerging a little more from behind Jack.

"So if yer a Princess, d'yeh have a prince?" Bunny asked.

Darla nodded. "Jem!" She said, pointing. "But not the lovely-kind." She made a face. "The family-kind."

Jack blinked at her, a little surprised by the answer, smile softening.

"So." Darla said. "As a Princess, I order you to help Jem if he's ever in trouble because he helps me lots."

"But of course!" North boomed as the Sandman nodded, smiling a soft smile and holding out his pinky for Darla to shake on it. 

"Pinky-swear." She said, happy, turning back to Jem. "Jem, Jem, I haven't told you about..." He listened to her yammer, still a little surprised by what had just occured. He held in laughter; his sort enemies had just sworn to protect him. A pinky swear. To a six year old girl. No matter how badass you were, you didn't go breaking that kind of oath.

* * *

"So, Sandy, haven't ever seen you smile like that before," Bunny said casually, staring at the magic user staring at Jem.

To all of their astonishment, the Sandman's golden cheeks darkened. "Are you blushing?" Tooth asked grinning. "I think maybe little Sandy's got a crush." The Sandman looked like the youngest of them, but they really didn't have a clue how old he was - he looked absolutely no different from when they first started fighting, although he'd shrunk down to the size of a child after an exhausting fight with Pitch, once, back in the old days. They weren't actually sure he was even human at a base level; for all they knew, he was made of the sand he created.

Sandy vehemently shook his head NO.

Bunny made a kissy face, and immediately regretted it when he caught the wicked smirk his friend was sending him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, things really start to happen after this, I promise.

Jack got home a little later than usual. But it wasn't his fault, for once. Villain he may be, but not really much of one, considering he had stopped to help a couple of kids find their mom, and then get a cat out of a tree... Well, he had a bit of a soft spot for kids, that's all it was. As usual, he flipped on the light (now powered by stolen technology!) before so much as setting foot in the room, immediately crossing to pull the blackout curtain.

So he was scared of the Boogeyman, sue him. Jack, like it or not, was still classified as a child, if an independent one.

Child independents weren't _too_ rare in the world, though they weren't common. Typically, the status was declared for kids whose parents had to travel or move a lot due to work, in military jobs most often. They basically lived like any adult, but they had an assigned mentor to check in and make sure they didn't get in any trouble or anything. Jack's mentor was a friendly fellow, named Greg Hogman, and he was easygoing and less than strict. He didn't check in more than once a week at the most, and Jack was perfectly fine with that.

With a sigh, Jack collapsed into the bed, having slipped out of his disguise easily. The room was cold just how he liked it, and though the owner complained about running the AC in the summer, Jack never used the heater. He didn't like hot temperatures, they made him feel muggy and sick.

The Nook was always really, really hot. Jack sighed; he really didn't want to go in tomorrow. Maybe he should quit.

Now that he'd thought of it, he would probably do it by accident in a moment of stupidity.

* * *

Yup.

* * *

"Hey, Richie. Um, do you have any more hours I can work? I accidentally quit my other job."

Richie blinked at him, and Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "How do you accidentally quit a job?"

"Well, one minute I was employed, and then I wasn't." Jack sighed. "It's all a vague blur."

Much to his surprise, Richie started laughing. "You are in luck, mystery-boy." He said, grinning. "I fired the lazy layabout who works the day shift yesterday. I open at seven in the morning, and expect you here by nine until seven, with two half and a whole break, and I close at midnight. You get off a little earlier, yes? It is not busy after that anyway, and I will call you for special catering and such, and you may still step out for shopping if it is not busy, as long as you tell me and clock out first."

Jack surprised them both by hugging the other man. Normally the teen was very reserved, avoiding touch and care. Blushing he stepped away. "Ah, sorry - just - thank you." People didn't like hugging him. He was too cold.

"Not a problem." Richie regarded the boy, considering a conversation he had with Delilah. "If you work here full time, you may come and take the extra room upstairs."

Jack looked at him, eyes wide. "Wouldn't Delilah -"

"It was her idea. We would appreciate knowing real name, though."

"Uh - Jack," he said, a little shocked still. "I go by Jack. But still Jem, in the store?"

"I wondered. No burying customers in snow." Richie nodded, as though that settled everything. "Now, should we go get things? Delilah can watch store for a little time."

Jack nodded. Best birthday ever.

November 15, 2011. He was fifteen now.


	7. Two Years Later

**Two years later: December 2013**

Burgess was peaceful. Too peaceful, in Bunny's opinion. He almost missed fighting with Jack Frost; at least then they knew what they would be facing, since the boy had claimed Burgess as his ground. Other villains would be drawn like moths to a light now that he was gone.

They didn't know why the kid had stopped causing trouble. He had just slowly stopped fighting, until one day in August of 2012 he covered the city in four feet of snow and bowed out, a final hurrah before he just vanished. The adults of Burgess were enjoying the brief reprieve, but the kids missed the constant snow days.

He caught a glimmer of gold way up in the sky and waved. Sandman slipped out of the sky, magical floating cloud vanishing as he stepped down to the roof. "Ho, Sandman." Bunny said. "Any stirring?"

Sandy shook his head, and for once straightforward, went for a telepathic link instead of taking the chance to laugh at a friend trying to decipher his charades. - _Nothing. It's quiet... Almost too quiet. I kind of miss fighting with Frost, he was fun._ -

"Aye, I know watcha mean." Bunny grinned. "Bless his family, they have to put up with his antics all of the time."

Sandman laughed silently. - _Still, it was good practice, and he never really hurt anyone... Except perhaps AC salesmen._ -

Bunny smirked.


	8. The Shadows Still Whisper

"Jack, watch your sister please!"

"Kay, mom!" Delilah beamed at him before making her way out the door, Darla sitting and quietly coloring at a table in the corner while Jack minded the store. The first time he'd called Delilah and Richie mom and dad, he hadn't meant to - it had sort of slipped out. They stared at him as his cheeks frosted over and he tried to escape, but he was too slow. Cue cuddle pile. He thought Delilah might have cried a little, and he _knew_ Richie had.

Jack sighed, returning to his previous thoughts. Things had been too quiet lately. Villains should have been flocking this place by now, but even the worst of them seemed to be afraid of something. Bad things were coming, he just knew it, and -

"Jem!" Darla said, from the window. "He's coming back again!"

Jack wanted to bang his head on something. Ever since the city had calmed down and lost its villain, the Sandman had become a regular at DDs. He was friendly, and always left a good tip...

But that didn't help with the dilemma of Jack getting _attached_. He didn't like it. The only other people he cared about were Darla and their parents (even legally, since he'd hacked his records and changed his status to adopted). Besides, everyone knew that the villain didn't get the girl. Not that the Sandman was a girl! And not that Jack wanted to get him. There was also the whole problem where Sandman still knew him as Jem, the brunette, normal civilian who worked at a café. But the hero was just, so... So...

"Jem, do you _like_ him? Cuz I think he likes you."

His cheeks frosted a little. "Definitely not! Just color!" Because it was true. He didn't care.

Darla smirked at him, returning to her project as the door swished open. The Sandman grinned, waving at her.

"Ho, Sandman. What would you like?" Jack asked. The golden superhero shrugged, smiling. "So, surprise. Darla, what spices have we got for the coco?"

She ran over to the massive cabinet of flavorings and spices. "Cinnamon, peppermint, brown sugar, pumpkin spice..."

"Grab that one and bring it to me, please." Jack was good at reading people, and that last one had gotten the Sandman's attention.

"I can't reach." She replied, apologetic, and then suddenly she could, seated on a tiny gold cloud. Darla gasped with delight, grabbing the flavor and slowly sinking back to earth.

"Thank you," Jack said to the Hero seated at his counter, who was smirking just a little as he gave a sassy salute. Jack's lips twitched. He'd imagine the hero was quite the prankster... If he wasn't a hero. He was quick to put the drink together. It wasn't very complex; white hot chocolate, frothy and delicious, with enough pumpkin spice flavoring to taste, and whipped cream with a vanilla drizzle on top. "Enjoy, Sandman."

He lifted his cup in a toast and took a sip, eyes widening with delight. He beamed at Jack, sand offering two thumbs up. 

"Why thank you, I do pride myself on the making of hot chocolate." He even drank it sometimes, when he was tired of always feeling cold, despite the... After effects. "Although cold drinks are really more my specialty." He froze. He could not believe he just SAID that. Darla was giggling at him in the window, he just knew it. As Sandman wandered over to his favorite seat, with a good view of the city, Jack's mind wandered again.

The shadows hadn't actually _talked_ to him in some time. He still wasn't sure what, exactly, had been trying to communicate with him, but it had apparently gone... Only what if it hadn't? He suddenly wondered. What if that's why all the big bass were staying away - because there was already one here, hiding in the shadows? But what could scare off even the really big bad guys? He had managed it because everyone assumed he was literally insane, which, okay, yeah, he could see it, and in control of the winter season's massive power. But what could...

Oh. No, no, no. Pitch Black. That wasn't possible, though - he'd vanished, just disappeared, utterly defeated by the Guardians years ago.

_But so did I, and I could go back anytime, as far as they know. And the shadows still whisper, just not to me, for the last few months..._

The lights went out, making Jack jump. What had happened? He hadn't made it cold enough to effect the lights... Oh. Oh shit, he could hear whispering. "Darla, sweetie, run across to the Olsens phone and called dad. I'll go check the electrical box - it's probably just a fuse leaving us in the dark."

Darla nodded and stood as Sandman glowed, standing and raising his hand. "If you wouldn't mind going with Darla..." Jack said. The gold hero nodded and followed the little girl out the door, surprised when she started running straight to a woman on her way back up the street.

"Darla?"

"Mom!" The little girl hugged her. "The lights went out, and Jackie said the safe code."

Sandman blinked. Safe code? What?

"Well, we'd better get your dad then." The woman scooped the little girl up, walking away, worry creasing her brow. "We can't really do anything."

"I know..." The little girl said, and then her eyes lit up. "Wait, Sandman!" He glowed a little. "You pinky promised, no matter what right?" He nodded, knowing what she meant. "Well, go help then!"

Little girl safe with her mother, Sandy did just that.


	9. Unconvinced

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind Darla, safe with the Sandman, before letting out a little cold in fear.

"Go _away_." He begged. "I'm not in The Business anymore, I just want to be left alone."

"But Jack Frost," the shadows said, as he stepped back, grabbing his staff from where it was kept hidden by the fridge and trying to get a wall at his back. He ran into something and froze as it spoke and grabbed his wig away. "We could be so great together."

Immediately he spun, getting a glimpse of a tall gray man before he sank into the shadows. "No. I said no before, and I MEANT it."

"But why not? You have more love for the idiot heroes or their master than I do, and together, _oh_ just think of what we could _do_... What goes together better than the dark and the cold, Jack?" The man rose from the shadows, watching him. "Oh, I see. You're afraid of _disappointing_ them, but they don't care, not _really_."

"LIAR!" Jack screamed, attacking. Pitch just slipped away into the shadows again, leaving a nightmare to take the freeze. "Leave them alone! They have nothing to do with this!"

"They really don't, it's true..." Pitch mused. "Still, why else would you turn down such a partnership? It's not like they'll be around forever; the two of us know that. No one ever stays, do they Jack?" His heart thudded in his chest. 

"No - they - they - "

"They will? Please. Who would ever - OW!"

Jack whipped around, shocked as golden sand exploded in Pitch's face. "The Sandman." He sneered. "Come to save little Jack Frost, the boy with a frozen heart? Well, I'll just be about my business then. My nightmares are ready... Are your Guardians?" And he was gone. Jack stumbled backward, into comforting light. Sandman glared at him.

"I had to get them out." He whispered. "And now I'm leaving." He straightened, smirking. "Antarctica is quite nice this year, and penguins are friendly." The wind lifted him.

Sandman disagreed, and Jack didn't actually want to freeze him, or the sand he'd snagged his ankle with. Curse getting attatched. Not that he was. You know. Attatched.

- _How long?_ -

Jack blinked. "You can talk telepathically? Then why the charades?"

- _It's funny to watch people try to figure out the charades. Don't change the subject. How long had Black been haunting you?_ -

"...Since the third battle we had." He paused. "I was barely fourteen, then."

That was something like three years ago! - _Why did you go supervillain, anyway? Especially so young._ -

Jack shrugged, staring at the ground. "If you're going to arrest me could you do it already?"

Sandman blinked at him. - _Now where's the fun in that? We are going to talk to some friends of mine._ \- Jack's small grin at the first comment slid away as the second registered.

"Oh no, no, just arrest me before the Bunny can get me." Sandman grinned at him, and Jack shrank back a little. "Gosh dangit, I KNEW the past was going to come back to haunt me eventually." He tightened his hold on his staff. "Let's get it over with."


	10. Meeting of Nemeses

To say that the Guardians were confused when they arrived at the gathering room was an understatement. Someone had activated the warning call, but nothing seemed amiss.

Their confusion only increased when Sandman arrived, towing an unhappy teenager along behind him. "Before you all get all defensive," Jack Frost said, "I don't really want to be here any more than you want me to be."

Sandy bopped him on the head.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get this over with so I can run for Antarctica."

"Sandy, vhat is problem? And vhere did he come from?"

"Is the bloody drongo dumping snow on people's heads again?"

Sandy tried to get their attention but it was too late. "Oh, that's a special privilege only you have received today, Kangaroo." Jack smirked as Bunny jumped up, yelping and brushing snow off his head.

- _LISTEN TO ME!_ \- Everyone jumped and turned to him in shock. Sandman was the calmest Guardian, drifting through life like he was dreaming. - _Pitch Black is back._ -

"...what?" Tooth whispered, eyes wide.

"Yeah, just had a chat with him." Jack rolled his eyes. "And now I am, unfortunately, somewhat indebted to Sandman, although willingly walking into this place should be plenty."

"A chat about what?"

"Oh, the usual, _mate_. Dark, cold, destruction, et cetera. Nothing interesting." Jack shrugged. "Oh except apparently the worst villain the world has ever known isn't rotting in a cell somewhere, that wasn't my favorite thing to acknowledge."

Sandy maybe snickered, a little, inside. "Why did you bring him here, Sandman?" North asked, disgruntled. North's Pole, and enormous tower outside of Burgess run by yeti-like helpers of all creatures, was secure enough, but he didn't want an enemy within his walls.

- _Pitch attacked him. Was I supposed to leave him there?_ \- 

"Okay, fine," Bunny grumbled. "Now what?" They all ignored Jack's mutter about being able to take care of himself, thanks, he only kicked all of their butts on a regular basis for, like, two years.

"I guess all we can do is wait for Pitch to make his move." Tooth said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plural of nemesis is, in fact, nemeses. Google said so.
> 
> You guys have no idea how long it took me to figure that out. My excuse is that it was really early in the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

- _Why did you stop being a villain?_ -

"Reasons." Jack muttered, playing with the dolphins of golden sand jumping in and out of the general cloud they were sitting on.

Sandman lifted his shades and raised an eyebrow. Jack stared - his eyes looked like they were full of captured starlight.

When Sandy had suggested they take patrols, the others had moaned and groaned. Pitch hadn't _done_ anything yet. Jack had taken his side, citing the lack of a villain for over a year. City like this, he'd commented, that was bizarre. Even the big bads were avoiding the area. Finally the Guardians had agreed. Sandy had dragged Jack away, stating he'd keep an eye on him.

No one had argued.

- _What reasons?_ -

Jack sighed, tearing his gaze away. "It's not important." He gripped his staff tight. "Not important at all." Sandman lay back on his cloud, staring at the stars.

- _Who are you really? Jem, or Jack?_ -

"Legally, neither. I go by Jack, to everyone that matters."

Sandman nodded, staring at the sky.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, surprising himself.

- _Sanderson, star pilot. I usually go by Sandy though._ -

"Where are you from? What is a star pilot?"

- _Your people see the star pilots, but don't know it. We are usually mistaken for falling stars, and normally we die when we crash. Usually, that's our time used up and time to rest. But your Moon found me before I faded and brought me back. I am the last._ \- the telepathic voice sounded almost bitter.

"Moon," Jack mumbled angrily. "He is the reason I became a villain."

Sandy was silent, but moved just enough to bump shoulders with him. Jack took a deep breath and bumped back, cheeks frosting over a little bit. Sandy stared, and blinked. Was Jack _blushing_ , because that was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.

"My legal name," Jack said quietly, dragging Sandy out of his musings, "is Jer-"

A shout below distracted them and Jack dove from the cloud, almost giving Sandy a heart attack before he remembered the ... Super could fly. Was he a villain or a hero now, anyway?

The shout turned out to be nothing, and Sandy felt almost vicious enough to kill over not being able to hear Jack's full name, but the moment was lost.

- _Where do you live?_ -

"Cafe."

- _Oh._ \- Silence for a moment. - _Well, I suppose you could stay with me._ -

Jack blinked at him in surprise. "Where do you live?"

Sandy grinned. - _When patrol is over, I will show you._ -


	12. Sandy is Getting Impatient

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Sandy tries to move things forward, but Jack is skittish.  
> And Sandy is a bit impatient with me, cause he wants his Jack and he's been waiting for years.  
> Sorry, Sandy, Jack is skittish. You have to wait.

There was no sign of Pitch, which was unsurprising. The man was a master at hiding in the shadows. Jack, though, was surprised when Sandy actually kept his word, spiraling higher and higher in the sky.

Sandy heard Jack gasp as his home came into view, and smiled. το πλωτό νησί υπνηλία άμμο, or the floating island of sleepy sands, was beautifully framed against the night sky, sparkling with silver and gold light. He could hear the mermaids singing and the twittering of the Zaidi-birds, but his eyes were on Jack.

His eyes were lit, sparkling with the lights, pale skin glowing gold and a genuine smile spread across his face, mouth slightly open in awe. "This is where you _live_? But how?"

- _It's impossible to find unless you know where it is. There's a trick to it; it moves, you see, to avoid detection._ -

"Well, how do you find it?"

- _I just follow the sand home._ \- Sandy grinned at him. - _Like it? ___-

"It's _beautiful_." Jack breathed, and something in his eyes shuttered. "I can't stay here, that's... It's... What if I break it?!"

Sandy started laughing silently. - _If the mermaids don't break it, you certainly won't._ -

"But I - it's too -" Jack struggled for words, looking panicked. Sandy rolled his eyes as they landed, thought the winter elemental refused to touch earth until the star tugged him down. "But what if I _break it?_ "

- _Why are you so convinced you will?_ -

"Because I tend to ruin everything I touch!" Jack snapped back, upset for the first time Sandman had ever seen, before taking a deep breath, staring at his feet. "Oops. Sorry." Ice crackled out from his feet.

- _It's not a problem. Ice becomes water, and the mermaids love new water._ -

"Ooh, look, Sandy brought back a _boy_! And he can make water!"

Sandy grinned as Jack spun, blinking, and was immediately swamped by mermaids. 

"Oh, you're so cold!"

"I like it, it's mysterious-"

"Hey, move, I want to get a look -"

Laughing, Sandy took pity on the poor supervillain, swarmed by mermaids on the beach, and pulled him away.

"Come back soon, love!" A sing song voice called. Jack's cheeks frosted thick and fast, and Sandy grinned. Yep, adorable.

He led the other man through the halls of the sand palace he had constructed off the beach to a large room. - _Feel free to freeze things to your hearts content here. It won't hurt me any, and this room is yours._ \- he tossed Jack a small sand pendant of a key. - _This will always point here._ -

"I - it's too much, I can't take this!"

Sandy rolled his eyes and gestured at the bed. It was time to sleep, and Jack was keeping the key, and that was that. He left the room, white boots making almost no sound against tight packed sand.

* * *

Jack looked around, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Sandy had just given him a key to his place, and told Jack he could freeze a room all he wanted. Only his family had ever done that. They were the only ones who ever stayed, too.

But that was his own fault really. Who would want an unreliable human ice block around? (He thought it might have been Joshua who shouted that as he walked out the door).

Apparently the Sandman. But it was all too good to be true. Sandy would come to his senses after he slept and ask for the key back. It was better if he just left it on the table. Yeah, that's what he'd do. And he'd only freeze a little, so he wouldn't be too upset. Just... Just enough snow for a blanket. That's all.

Jack drifted off to the sweet sensation of hope, which persisted despite his hard work quenching it.

The Sandman was awake a little longer, forcing down his desire to find out who had hurt Jack so badly so he could hunt them down and make sure they never did it again.


	13. Oh NO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, guys, but you might be stuck with this cliffhanger for a while. One of my Avengers fics has taken over my muses, and I'm having a hard time with this one. Also, life is happening.
> 
> However, I will finish it. Sometime. Maybe even this semester.

When Jack woke, the sun was peeking in through the window, and his breeze swirled in to greet him. The room was exactly like the night before, if a little chillier - the only snow was in his little pile, and he'd left the key on the nightstand. He wanted to keep it, but he was already too close. He'd almost told Sandy his name, his birth name. Then again, Sandy had told him his. And given him a key. Ugh. People were complicated, why couldn't he just stay with his family and-

His family. Oh, no. No, no, no. He bolted straight out of bed, still holding his staff, and made his way out the door. "Thanks for letting me stay, may have made a stupid mistake, so I need to go, right now, yeah, see you later bye!" And he jumped off of the island, wind catching him and pulling him along, fast, faster... 

If Pitch had so much as breathed on his family, the Nightmare King would pay.


End file.
